Switching device



C. L. LILLEBERG.

SWITCHING DEVICE.

m Mw J m fla C. L. LILLE'BERGL' SWITCHING DEVICE.

APPLICAHON FILED .IULY'25, I919- 1,374,085. Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED", STATES CEARLES L. LILLI EBERG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.'

SWITCHING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application liled'J'uly 25, 1919. Serial No. 313,295. r

7 '0 all wlwm it may coacem:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. Lanna- BERG, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Switching Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to switching devices and is of particular service where employed in the construction of timers for controlling the occurrence of the ignition sparks that fire the charges in internal combustion engines. The invention, however, is not to be limited to any particular use to which the switch is adapted.

The switching deviceof my invention includes relatively rotatable contact members each in the form of an arm whose base portion is transverse to the axis of rotation of the rotatable contacting member and whose contacting portion is angular to its base por- 'tion, the contacting portions of the contacting members extending toward each other. One of these contacting members is preferably in the form of a bifurcated arm whose base portion is transverse to the axis of rotation of the rotatable contacting member and having two contact parts angular to said base portion and located nearer said axis of rotation than said base portion. The other contacting member is preferably in the form of a rigid arm having a base portion transverse to said axis of rotation and extending from such axis toward the other contacting member, this rigid arm including a contact portion angular to its base portion and receivable between the contacting part-s upon the bifurcated contacting member, the contacting portions upon the two contacting members extending toward each other.

The base portion of the bifurcated arm is preferably rigid and the contacting branches of this arm are desirably stifl but are assembled with the base portion in such a manner that each may move with respect-to the other and both may move with respect to the base of the arm whereby the switching parts will not be ruptured in the event of their improper assembly or the improper initiation of their assembly. The branches of the bifurcated arm are assembled with the base thereof by means of spring mechanism which maintains the branches and base in normal relation yet which permits the abnormal operation of the branches under the circumstances mentioned.

T he invention also contemplates the pro vlsion of a preferred construction whereby the contact arms, thehou'sings therefor, and the insulating element have their'relative positions predetermined so that these parts may be readily and quickly assembled.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred embodiment thereof and in which Figure 1 is a sectional view on line 11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3. is a view similar to Fig. 2 with parts omitted to reveal details of construction; Fig. 4 is a perspective view'showing a contact arm and its branches; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a part of the structure illustrated in Fig. 4: taken in another direction; Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the component elements of a bifurcated contact arm structure; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating one of the springs taking part in maintaining the assembly of the base of the contact arm and the branches thereof. Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.

The rotatable contacting member has a sleeve portion 1 held upon the engine shaft 2 by any suitable means such, for example, as the nut 3 screwed upon the shaft and against a washer 4 in abutting engagement with the inner end of the sleeve the base portion 5 of this arm branching from one end of the sleeve to be transverse to the axis of rotation of the shaft and of the conbase portion 7 anchored tothe casing 8 of the switch by means of a bolt- 9 passing through an opening 10 in a part 11 of the switch casing which part is preferably cylindrical and co-axial with the shaft 2. An annular depression 12 is preferably formed upon the interior of the cylindrical casing portion 11 if the casing is formed by a stamping operation so that an annular seat 13 co-axial with the circular opening 10 may be formed upon the exterior of the cylindrical casing portion 11 to I 'ece1ve an insulating disk 14. A block 15 of msulating material is disposed between each arm base 7 and the cylindrical portion 11 which has a pocket 16 formed therein for receiving said block and for giving the arm a predetermined position with respect to the timer casing. The disk 14 is in the nature of a nut which is threaded upon the stem of the bolt 9. The block 15 has an opening therethrough through which the stem of the bolt slides, this opening closely engaging the stem of the bolt. As the block 15 is afforded a predetermined position with respect. to the timer casing by means of the pocket 16 in the casing, and as the nut 14 is also given a predetermined location with respect to the timer casing, it follows that the bolt 9 receives a predetermined location. In order that the base 7 of each arm may also have a predetermined position with respect to the balance of the fixed parts, I form it with projections or lugs 17 which enter corresponding depressions 1n the block 15. The assembly of the arm with the casing and the parts that are employed to define the pos ition of this arm with respect to the casing is maintained by means of a metallic lock nut 18.

To uard the contact arms that are stationarily mounted upon the casing and thoroughly to prevent electrical connection therebetween, I employ shields 19 of insulating material that are interposed between the bases 7 of the arms and the insulating blocks 15, the stems of the bolts 9 also passing through the insulating shields 19. The adj acent ends of the shields engage each other and are inwardly bent or curled where they engage each other to hold the shields in fixed relation with respect to each other and to serve as insulating elements interposed between the adjacent contact arm bases 7 and parts carried thereby.

Each contact arm base is desirably formed with a deflected inner end 7 that is substantially parallel with the axis'of the shaft 2. Each arm portion 7 desirably has formed therethrough two openings 20,21. The contact parts 22, 23 that are carried by each arm base are disposed upon opposite sides of the corresponding arm end 7. The contact part 22 is provided with openings 24, 25 adapted to register with the openings 20 and 21, the contact parts 23 being also provided with openings 26, 27, likewise capable of registry with the aforesaid openings 20 and 21. There are two stifi' wire springs 28, 29 bent to have a shape which is somewhat triangular and both co6perating to hold the contacting parts 22 and 23 in assembly with the arm portion 7. The end portions 30 of the springs are desirably curled toform closed loops to enable the springs to have extended engagement with the contact part 23. The mid portion of the spring 28 passes through the alined openings 20, 24 and 26. The mid portion of the spring 29 passes through the alined openings 21, 25 and 27. The parts of the spring that press upon the contacting part 22 are preferably curled so as to have riding action upon said part, lateral deflection of the parts of thesprings being prevented by interposing these curled ends of the springs between lugs 31 formed upon the member 29. The arm end portion 7 is normally closely engaged with the parts 22 and 23 between which it is sandwiched. The portions of the parts 22 and 23 which are actually engaged by the contact arm portion 6 extend eyond the arm portion 7 which thus will not interfere with the operation of the contact 6. The entire base portion 7, including its part 7', of each arm is thus removed from the zone or circle of travel of the contact 6, the contact part 23 being upon the inner side of this circle and the contact part 22 upon the outer side of this circle in the normal assembly of the parts. If the parts are wrongly assembled initially or permanently, the contact 6 may not pass between the contacts 22 and 23 but may be so related thereto as to engage only one or the other and in order that breakage of the parts may not result, the contact parts 22 and 23 will yield and adapt themselves to any positions in which the contact 6 tends to place them so that not only is the breakage of the parts guarded against but the switching function of the structure is not interfered with. The contact parts 22 and 23 diverge at the ends of these parts so that the contacting art 6 may enter therebetween in either direction of rotation thereof. As illustrated, the contacting parts of each pair 22, 23 are movable with respect to their base 7, 7 and with respect to each other in a plane substantially containing the axis of rotation or that is substantially parallel with such axis.

It will be observed that the portions 7, 7', constituting the base portions of the stationary contact members and the base portion 5 of the rotatable contact member, are not in the plane of rotation of the contacting portion 6 at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion and that all of the parts 6, 22 and 23 are, in effect, in the same plane where they engage whereby the contacting portion 6 passes over the base'portion 7, 7 irrespective of the direction of rotation of the contacting portion 6. The contacting parts 22 and 23 extend toward the contacting part 6but not far enough to contacting portion 6 extends toward the contacting parts. 22 and 23 but not far enough to engage the base portion 7, 7 so that the base portion of one contact or set of contacts cannot be engaged by thecontacting portion of the other. In the preferrd embodiment of the invention the contact parts 6, 22 and 23 are normally dis posed parallel with the axis of rotation of the shaft 2 but the invention is not to be limited to this characteristic.

The structure herein disclosed is more broadly claimed in my co-pendin application Serial No. 292,112, filed Apri 23, 1919.

While I have herein shown and-particu-' larly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to .the precise details of,construction shown as changes may readily be made without departin from the spirit of my lnvention, but

I having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following 0 1. An electrical switching device lncluding relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portlons being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member, the contacting portion upon each contacting member extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation toward thebase portion of the other contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of thecontacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions. I

2. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member, the contacting portion upon each contacting member extending longltudlnally of the was of rotation toward the base portion of the other contacting, member, the base portions of said contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the c1rcle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions, the contacting part of one of said contacting members being bifurcated portions thereof.

3. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contactin members each in the form of an arm having a base portion anda contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions member, the contacting portion upon each' contacting member extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation toward the base portion of theother contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting memberat the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are notv engaged by said contacting portions, the contacting portion-upon one of said contacting members being movable with respect to the base of this member; and a spring yieldingly holding this contacting portion in relation to its base. t. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm havmg a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member, the contacting portion upon each contactin member extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation toward the base portion of the other contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions, the contacting portion upon one of said contactin members being movable with respect to 51c base of this member; and a spring yieldingly holding this contacting portion in relation to its base which is turned to' extend longitudinally of the axis of rotation and along said movable contacting portion to define the normal position of this contacting portion.

5. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting memher, the contacting portion upon each contacting member extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation toward the base portion of the other contacting member, the base yieldingly holding said movable contacting parts in relation to their base.

6. An electrical switching device includ ing relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member, the contacting portion upon eac contacting member extending longitudinally of the axis of rotationtoward the base portion of the other contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portions of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged b said contacting portions,

one of said mem ers having two contacting parts movable with respect to each other and the base of this contacting member and between which the contacting part of the other member is receivable; and a spring yieldingly holding said movable contacting parts in relation to their base which is turned to extend longitudinally of the axis of rotation and between said movable contacting parts to define the normal position of these contacting parts.

7. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member, the contacting portion upon each contacting member extending toward the base portion of the other contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of. this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions; a casing for the switching device having a pocket formed upon its interior; a block of insulation within thispocket; and a screw cooperating with said block to hold one of said contacting members in relation to the block and the casin 8. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the'base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle ofrotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contactin member, the contacting portion upon eac contacting member extending'toward the base portion of the other contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation ofthe contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions; a casing forthe switching device having a pocket formed upon its interior; a block of insulation within this pocket; a screw passing through the base portion of one of said contacting members and said block to the exterior of the casing; and a disk of insulation upon the exterior of the casing through which said screw passes, the casing being provided with a seat upon its exterior for said disk and defining theposition thereof.

9. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacti g portions; a casing for the switching device having a pocket formed upon its interior; a block of insulation within this pocket; a screw cooperating with said block to hold one of said contacting members in relation'to the block and the casing; and a shield inter osed between said block of insulation an the base of the contacting member assembled therewith.

10. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member, the contacting portion upon each contacting member extending toward the base portion of the other contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions; a casing for the switching device having a pocket formed upon its interior; a block of insulation within this pocket; a screw passing through the base portion of one of said contacting members and said blockto the exterior of the casing; a diskof insulation upon the exterior of the casing through which said screw passes, the casing being provided with a seat upon its exterior for said disk and defining the position thereof; and a shield interposed between said block of insulation and the base of the contacting member assembled therewith. 4

11. An electrical switching device including' relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm havlng a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby sald base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions; a casing for the switching device having a pocket formed upon its interior; a block of insulation within this pocket; a screw cooperating with said block to hold one of said contacting members in relation to the block and the casing; and a shield interposed between said block of insulation and the base of the contacting member assembled therewith, the ends of said shield being inwardly bent.

12. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contactlng portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting memher, the contacting portion upon each contacting member extending toward the base portion of the other contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of th1s contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions; a casing for the switching device having a pocketformed upon its interior; a block of insulation within this pocket; a screw passing through the base portion of one of said contacting members and said block to the exterior of the casing; a disk of insulation upon the exterior of the casing through which said screw passes, the casing being provided with a seat upon its exterior for said disk and defining the position thereof; and a shield interposed between said block of insulation and the base of the contacting member assembled therewith, the ends of said shield being inwardly bent.

13. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member, the contacting portion upon each contacting member extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation toward the base portion of the other contacting member, the

base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions, the contactin portion upon one of said contacting mem ers being movable with respect to the base ofthis member and in a plane substantially parallel with the axis of rotatlon; and a spring yieldingly holding th1s contacting portion in relation to its base. 14. An electrical switching device includmg relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contactmg portions of the rotatable contacting member, the contacting portion upon each contacting member extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation toward the base portion of the other contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions, the contacting portion upon one of said contacting members being movable with respect to the base of this member and in a plane substantially parallel with the axis of rotation; and a spring yieldingly holding this contacting portion in relation to its base which is turned to extend longitudinally of the axis of rotation and alongsaid movable contacting portion to define the normal position of this contacting portion.

15. An electrical switching device includ ing relatively rotatable contacting members each in the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting memher, the contacting portion upon each contacting member extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation toward the base portion of the other contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portions of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation of this contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions, one of said members having two contacting parts movable with respect to each other and the base of this contacting member and between which the contacting part of the other member is receivable and in a plane substantially parallel with the axis of rotation; and aspring yieldingly holding said movable contacting parts in relation to their base.

16. An electrical switching device including relatively rotatable contacting members eachin the form of an arm having a base portion and a contacting portion angular to the base portion, said contacting portions being in the circle of rotation of the contacting portion of the rotatable contacting member the contacting portion upon each contacting member extending longitudinally of the axis of rotation toward the base portion ofthe other contacting member, the base portions of said contacting members being without the plane of rotation of the contacting portions of the rotatable contacting member at the circle of rotation ofthis contacting portion whereby said base portions are not engaged by said contacting portions, one of said members having two member and between which the contacting part of the other member is receivable an i a plane substantially parallel with the and p g yieldingly axis of rotation; holding said movable contacting parts in relation to their base which is turned to extend longitudinally of the axis of rotation and between said movable contacting parts to define the normal position of these contacting parts.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this twenty-second day of July 30 I oT RLEs L. LILLEBERG. 

